The Water Column

The ocean has always been more than just a body of water—it’s a world full of wonder, and mystery. Its rhythmic waves have a way of soothing our minds, while its vast horizons spark our imagination, and its depths, our curiosity.

Whether you’ve spent your days by the shore or simply passed by, the ocean leaves an imprint on all of us, offering moments of joy, inspiration, and reflection.

The ocean is a place where friends gather, where kids build their first sandcastles, where we find peace in the sound of the waves, and where cultures from around the world meet through trade, exploration, and shared experiences. Its beauty inspires art, poetry, and music, while its presence offers solace during life’s challenging moments. As Jacques Cousteau aptly stated, "the sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."

As you navigate the interactive map, we invite you to dive into the ocean stories shared by fellow community members. This community mapping project captures our shared experiences, with each memory serving as a window into the unique connections we all have with the ocean. Through this collaborative effort, you'll discover glimpses of joy, nostalgia, and inspiration that highlight our collective relationship with the sea.

We invite you to participate in a community project celebrating these cherished connections. Please share your favorite ocean memory by submitting a photo accompanied by a short piece of writing. Your contribution will become part of an interactive map, allowing others to explore and appreciate the diverse experiences that the ocean has inspired.

1. Choose a Memory: Choose a meaningful ocean-related experience you'd like to share.
2. Share an Image: Upload a photo or art work that captures the essence of your memory.
3. Tag a Location: Place a pin on the map where this memory takes place.
4. Write a Short Story: Accompany your photo with a brief narrative or reflection.

Together, let’s create a space where our love for the ocean comes alive—where we reflect on the memories that tie us to the water and look forward to the many more stories waiting to be written.

The ocean nurtures all life on earth. It’s inspiring, and soothing, full of mystery. It’s beautiful. She’s a global caretaker. 

I work in coastal conservation, and a question I get asked all the time is “what’s your why?” And I’m like, “well, I’m from a coastal city, I grew up in and around the ocean and nature is where I feel at peace. It’s nature, everyone loves nature.” And all that is true. But it’s not why. And here’s the real reason:

I lost my mom. 

I lost my mom when I was young, and for me, she lives on in the ocean. My grief, my joy, our current reality, my sense of impending change and loss, my empathy for younger generations inheriting this world...  it all leaves me wanting to enjoy the ocean and its many blessings, and inspires me to conserve this vast, life-giving, globally nurturing force of nature.

Denial. Loss. Grief.

I’m on a quest to save the ocean; to enjoy it all before it’s gone.

Humans have caused our climate to change. Our cities are flooding, we have climate refugees across the globe. We are experiencing tremendous loss and it is heavy. I often feel like we don’t know how to cope. In theory, we know what to do. Cut our carbon emissions, learn live with the water, manage our development, retreat somewhere safe. But in practice, coping is hard. Adapting is complicated. And actually embodying resilience is really challenging. 

With greater carbon emissions comes rising temperatures, melting glaciers, water expansion, and with all of that, major sea level rise.

We can deny it all we want, but our cities flood. Sea level rise isn’t an issue of tomorrow. Our sea levels are rising today. It’s gradual, perhaps too gradual for the average human experience. But for those of us who interact with the ocean on a daily basis, it’s visible. In 2015, the International Panel on Climate Change put out a prediction of the rate of sea level rise, estimating 2-8 feet by the end of the century. I live in Miami, 3 feet above sea level. Those of us who live in South Florida sit at an average of 4 feet, which means roughly HALF of South Florida sits below that. Miami is special, because the whole area was built on top of oolitic rock, which naturally has holes like swiss cheese. This means the water not only encroaches from the coastlines, but it rises to meet us from below, through the ground - maybe you’ve heard of “sunny day flooding.” The IPCC updated their estimates in 2019 and said we’ll get minimum 2 feet sea level rise by 2060. That’s in my lifetime. That’s most of the Florida Keys - underwater. Swaths of Miami - underwater. Our sole source of drinking water, the Biscayne Aquifer, under serious threat. What are we doing about it? Flood pumps? Soon enough, those will be underwater too. 

There are so many dangers associated with inaction and complacency…denial.

Fast forward to 2021, I’m in therapy. I had planned a trip, a road trip from Miami to Key West in search of the best slice of key lime pie. I was telling my therapist about how I wanted to make sure I got to visit and experience the Keys before they were uninhabitable. She paused, and asked, “did you get to enjoy your mother before she was gone?” and just like that, the sediment settled and it all became clear. I was living in fear of loss, figuratively screaming at people to relish the time we have left with the ocean as we know it.

In sickness and in health.

So here I am, using my voice to advocate for the ocean, finally coming to you with my honest “why” because the ocean matters. Our grief, our joy, our health and wellbeing matter, and it’s time for us to refocus our collective energy. Normalize the human experience, hold space for yourself and others; connect.

The other question I get all the time is, “what gives you hope?” and I’ve always answered this question honestly-

Collaboration, creativity, and connection.

My favorite collaborative projects have included scientists, filmmakers, oceanographers, speakers, students, community organizers, creatives, administrators, entrepreneurs, event planners, makers, volunteers. What’s so special is that everyone comes together and applies their strengths and passions to a collective effort. We shift our focus toward our commonalities - our shared love of the earth - and we nurture it. In spite of our differences, we steward a global ecosystem and nourish human-ocean connections.

We all have a place in this ocean-advocacy space. There is beauty in our diversity of skills, strengths, perspectives, and passions, and there is a need for all of it. You are needed and your voice - your story - deserves to be heard. And, this is where The Water Column comes in.

With love and admiration,

Lauren